Preemie found in trash bag with maggot-infested head wound, now she's fighting for her life

The gift of life is something so incredibly special that it baffles me that people can take it for granted.

Much in the same vein, I don’t think I’ll ever understand how anyone could even consider abandoning their baby somewhere, let alone actually go through with it. Now, I know I’m not alone in this, I know it’s not a radical thought, and yet there do exist people on this planet who are ready and willing to place a defenceless baby in a remote location and simply walk away.

Sadly, such happenings are far from a rare occurrence in certain parts of the world. One more recent case, coming out of Vietnam, has garnered particular attention due to the state of the baby when she was found.

According to reports, the little girl was found inside a plastic bag tied to a tree. She had been exposed to the sun for several days and bitten by mosquitoes. Worst of all, she had a wound on her head infested by maggots.

Sources state that a baby was found tied to a coffee tree in Lam Dong Province, an impoverished region in the Central Highlands in Vietnam. She had been left exposed for several days without care, and was in a terrible condition when found. Doctors feared she might not survive, and if she did she wouldn’t see out a year.

Fortunately, help was at hand in the form of Minh Tai, abbess of the Hue Quang Pagoda, close to where the baby was found. Tai has taken in more than 100 orphans over the years, giving them a safe place to rest and grow until a foster family is found.

After hearing of the little girl’s case, Tai – who currently looks after around 10 orphans with the help of her nuns – adopted her. She raised an incredible $25,000 to pay for the necessary medical bills, having sent out a plea to Facebook users and Buddhist temples around Vietnam.

The girl was named Hoai An, which means perpetual peace in Vietnamese.

Little Hoai still has multiple health problems, including dangerous levels of fluid building up in her brain. Nevertheless, doctors are doing all they can to restore her to health.

Dr. Tang Kok Kee, a neurosurgeon leading the team treating Hoai, told the Straits Times: “I wouldn’t write her off at this point; that would be wrong. There is a chance her condition will improve.”

All the while, Minh Tai watches over her and prays. “She is sleeping better, crying louder and has more of an appetite. She has also gained about 700g in weight and her reactions have improved,” she said.

Prayers and well wishes are needed for this brave little girl fighting to come back from the brink.

Please share this article on Facebook to praise all the wonderful people who have helped so far, and to wish Hoai An a speedy recovery.